Are you leading testing activities without realising it?

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Have you ever found yourself organising, guiding, or overseeing testing efforts, even though you’re not the official “manager”?

If so, you’re not alone! Jump into this week’s article, “Forget about job titles! Testing leadership for all” by @jesper to explore how many software testers are already stepping up as leaders without the formal title.

What You’ll Learn:

:mag: Test Leadership without Management: Discover what it means to lead testing initiatives without holding a managerial position. Learn how to facilitate teamwork, build trust, and make things happen.

:hammer_and_wrench: Leading specific testing activities: Gain practical insights into leading testing activities, from functional testing to end-user observations, and everything in between.

:rocket: Kickstart your leadership journey: Find out how to recognise and embrace a leadership role, even if you’re not the one with the formal authority.

After reading, we’d love to hear from you:

  • Have you been leading testing activities without a formal title? Share your stories and strategies with other aspiring leaders.
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Yeah when we get to senior or mid level experience depending on what he firm you may be and being the only tester also sometimes gives you that kind of responsibility.

I will read the article and also share my learning’s.

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Very good article.

Having gone (going) through a similar path like the author, I could resonate with this stuff.

I wish I could have read this a couple of years back. Thanks for publishing this one, MoT.

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For balance
 I’d like to raise the point that stepping into this role should hopefully be a desirable result, since losing the hands-on work is usually balanced by a bump in pay grade. The worst position is doing a manager’s role at tester’s pay. I know titles are fluid but ‘taking on more responsibility’ can be abused.

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I appreciate the article but I have a different take on this, which may differ from the opinion mentioned in the article.
Nowadays there is a new trend going on, known as Dry Promotion where people are assigned the task of seniors or leadership but neither they are officially promoted nor get a financial hike of that level.

I personally believe that when we are performing leadership roles there are two options for us:

  1. Either management recognizes our effort and appreciates it by giving a financial hike or some other type of recognition like paid leave or actual designation or anything.

  2. If management is not ready to compensate you for the skills you are displaying we should learn while working on these tasks and move to the next place where it is appreciated.

Sometimes just doing work is not enough, getting it needs to be recognized by the management or leadership is also important else you will remain stuck there.

Obviously involving in a leadership task brings so much of a lesson to learn, but being human we develop certain expectations from the things in which we invest time and effort, and when these expectations are not met it brings disappointment.

Also being motivated, being proactive, and avoiding unnecessary negative stress are important while being involved in these tasks.